[1] Early in 19th century a number of individuals felt the importance and necessity of providing a higher institution of learning, not only for the training of young men and women as teachers, but to furnish a preparatory school for students who might wish to enter college.
The men of the period foresaw that the establishment of an academy at Farmington, Maine would be of advantage to the rising generation, consequently they took measures to procure a charter from the General Court of Massachusetts, which was granted February 13, 1807.
An additional half township of land was granted to the Farmington Academy by a resolve of the legislature of 1850, and this added some $52,000 to the endowment of the institution, which had suffered during its entire existence from lack of funds.
Drew from 1820 to 1823; Nathaniel Greene from 1823 to 1830; David Worcester, Horatio Getchell, and M. Upham from 1830 to 1837; John J. Butler from 1837 to 1839; Orrin B. Cheney from 1839 to 1841; Alexander H. Abbott from 1841 to 1849; Jonas Burnham from August 27, 1849, to July 15, 1859.
By a vote of the trustees of the academy, passed January 26, 1867, the treasurer was authorized and empowered to convey, upon certain conditions, the whole property to the State of Maine, subject, however, to the payment of a mortgage.